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Mickey Rourke (info)

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Mickey Rourke
was born Phillip Andre Rourke, Jr. on September 16, 1952, in Schenectady, New York, the son of Annette (Cameron) and Phillip Andre Rourke. His father was of Irish and German descent, and his mother had French, Scottish, English, and German ancestry. When he was six years old, his parents divorced. A year later, his mother married Eugene Addis, a Miami Beach police officer, and moved to Miami Shores, Florida. After graduating from Horace Mann Junior High School, Rourke's family moved to a house located on 47th Street and Prairie Avenue in Miami Beach. In 1969 Rourke attended Miami Beach Senior High School, where he played second-string first baseman under coach Skip Berkman. He also acted in a school play, "The Serpent," directed by legendary "Teacher To The Stars" Jay W. Jensen.

Rourke's teenage years were more aimed toward sports more than acting. He took up self-defense training at the Boys Club of Miami. It was there he learned boxing skills and decided on an amateur career. At the age of 12, Rourke won his first boxing match as an 118-pound bantamweight, defeating Javier Villanueva. Some of his early matches were fought as Andre Rourke. He continued his boxing training at the famed 5th Street Gym in Miami Beach, soon joining the Police Athletic League boxing program. In 1969 Rourke, now weighing 140 pounds, sparred with former World Welterweight champion Luis Rodriguez. Rodriguez was the number one-rated middleweight boxer in the world and was training for his match with world champion Nino Benvenuti. Rourke claims to have received a concussion in this sparring match.

In 1971, at the Florida Golden Gloves, Rourke received another concussion from a boxing match. Doctors told him to take a year off and rest. In 1972 Rourke knocked out Ron Robinson in 18 seconds and John Carver in 39 seconds. On Aug. 20, 1973, Rourke knocked out 'Sherman "Big Train"' Bergman' in 31 seconds. Shortly after, Rourke decided to retire from amateur boxing.

From 1964 to 1973, Rourke compiled an amateur boxing record of 27 wins (17 by knockout) and 3 defeats. At one point, he reportedly scored 12 consecutive first-round knockouts. As an amateur, Rourke had been friendly with pro-boxer Tommy Torino. When Rourke decided to return to boxing as a professional in 1991, Torino promoted some of Rourke's fights. Rourke was trained by former pro-boxer Freddie Roach at Miami Beach's 5th Street Gym and the Outlaw Boxing Club Gym in Los Angeles. He made $250 for his pro debut, but by the end of his second year of boxing, he had earned a million dollars. In June 1994, Rourke appeared on the cover of World Boxing Magazine. He sparred with world champions James Toney, John David Jackson, and Tommy Morrison.

Rourke wished to have 16 professional fights and then fight for a world title. However, he retired in 1994 after eight bouts and never got his desired title fight. His boxing career resulted in severe facial injuries that required a number of operations to repair his damaged face. Rourke went back to acting but worked in relative obscurity until he won a Golden Globe Award for his role as Randy "The Ram" Robinson in El luchador (2008). He was nominated for Best Actor, as well, but lost. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Chase Rosenberg

Is a good friend of French singer and painter Tristan, who designed, among other things, the "tiger jacket" Rourke wears in Homeboy (1988).

In its obituary of poet Charles Bukowski, the screenwriter of Barfly: El borracho (1987), "The New York Post" used a photo of Rourke as Henry Chinaski in the film instead of a photo of the poet himself.

Was offered a role in Revolver (2005), but turned it down to do Domino (2005).

His father was of half Irish and half German descent, and his mother was of Scottish, French, English, and German ancestry. Mickey's and Mickey's father's middle name, "Andre", was the surname of Mickey's paternal grandmother.

Injuries he received as a boxer include a split tongue and a compressed cheekbone. Surgeons rebuilt his nose with cartilage from his ear. His balance also suffers to this day if he is tired or drinks alcohol.

In October 2001, he paid half a million pounds for a house in County Wicklow in Ireland.

On October 16, 2004, his younger brother, Joey Rourke (born June 25, 1954) died of lung cancer. He was 50 years old. Mickey credited his brother Joey with preventing him from committing suicide in 1998.

On May 7, 1972 at the Boys Club of Miami (Florida), Rourke knocked out John Carver in 39 seconds of a scheduled 3-round amateur boxing match (147lbs.). Rourke was introduced as Phil Rourke.

On Aug.20, 1973 at the Boys Club of Miami (Florida), Rourke climbed off the canvas to knockout 'Sherman "Big Train' Bergman'in 31 seconds of a scheduled 3-round amateur boxing match(147lbs.). Rourke was introduced as Phillip Rourke.

On Feb. 15, 1972 at the Boys Club of Miami (Florida), Rourke knocked out Ronald Robinson in 18 seconds of a scheduled 3-round amateur boxing match (147lbs.). Rourke was introduced as Phil Rourke.

Mickey Rouke defeated Javier Villanueva by decision in a scheduled 3-round amateur boxing match in 1964 at the Boys Club of Miami.

From 1964-1973, Mickey Rourke compiled an amateur boxing record of 27 wins, 17 by knockout, and 3 defeats.

In 1971, Mickey Rourke, fighting as Phil Rourke, knocked out Leroy Harrington in 15 seconds of an amateur boxing match in Miami, Florida.

In 1970, Mickey Rourke, fighting as Phil Rourke, knocked out Paul Malsoh in 29 seconds of an amateur boxing match in Miami, Florida.

In August 1964, Mickey Rourke, fighting as Phil Rourke, won a 3-round decision over Jesus Carranza in an amateur boxing match at the Boys Club of Miami.

In July 1964, Mickey Rourke, fighting as Phil Rourke, won a 3-round decision over Roger Hough in an amateur boxing match in Miami, Florida.

Republican.

Studied the martial art of Hwa Rang Do for six years under Tae-joon Lee, the son of the art's founder. He credits Grandmaster Lee for turning his life around (after dealing with personal and professional problems) through the study of the art.

Personal Quotes
[on what he wants in a woman] It's like when I buy a horse. I don't want a thick neck and short legs.

[1994] I thought my talent would transcend my outspokenness. I was wrong. I'm willing to give them 100 per cent this time. I just want a second chance at Hollywood.

I lost the house, the wife, the credibility, the entourage. I lost my soul. I was alone ... I'm sort of OK with it now, but the first time I'm in there, pushing a f***ing cart, getting my supper. I used to go to the 24-hour place in gay town, so no one would recognize me. The only thing I could afford was a shrink, so that's where my money went. Three times a week for the first two years. The year after that, twice a week and now I'm down to once a week. I've only missed two appointments in six years.

You get desensitized to pain and for three and a half years I developed these symptoms of brain damage-you forget what you did the night before. You have to get out when the doctors tell you to; otherwise, you're on queer street for the rest of your life. One doctor said to me before a big fight, "our neurological report doesn't look too good." I was like four fights away from a big, big fight and he said, "Mickey, how much are they paying you? Look at your tests-you won't be able to count the money".

I've talked to my priest a lot. I used to have to call him or the shrink when there was an explosion, because I was really good at not talking to anybody until there was an explosion. My priest is this cool Italian from New York. We go down to his basement and he opens the wine. We smoke a cigarette and I have my confession. He sends me upstairs to do my Hail Marys. I mean, I'm no Holy Joe, but I have a strong belief. If I wasn't Catholic I would have blown my brains out. I would pray to God. I would say, "Please, can you send me just a little bit of daylight?" He talked me out of it and we started meeting. His name is Father Pete and he lives in New York. Father Pete put me back on the right track.

[on President George W. Bush] George is doing a hell of a job during very difficult times, more power to him. Screw all them people who don't like him.

[on his earlier success] I didn't have a childhood, really, because I worked my whole life and . . . other reasons. So when I had some success, I went ballistic. That was my childhood, and the party kept going on. I didn't get off my motorcycle for 10 years.

(on his film Spun (2002)) I didn't care for the material and I wasn't real interested in the cast. But two years ago I put myself in the hands of an agent, David Unger at ICM, and he said, "Do the movie." So I did.

[in 2003, on Sed de poder (1984)] It was the most fun I've ever had on a movie. It was one of the happiest times in my life. I was living in New York, and I really enjoyed acting at the time. [pauses] Also, it's funny because that was also the time when I went downhill.

[on Nicole Kidman's refusal to work with him] If I was Nicole Kidman, I wouldn't want to work with me, either. She'd have to stand up to the plate and get exposed. She wouldn't have known what hit her. I was flat broke at the time. En carne viva (2003) would have been my first big part in a comeback. But it was my fault to put myself in a position where someone like her could dictate whether I worked or not.

[on his boxing career] I was fighting guys 15 years younger than me. . . . But I won 10 of 12 fights and had two draws.

Who do I share the good things happening to me with? My dogs, I guess.

For 12 years I was alone, I had lost everything. The three people closest to me-my brother, my grandmother and my ex-wife-were no longer there. I had no real friends. I saw a few girls, Russian strippers mostly, but I wasn't looking for a girlfriend. My wife's name [Carré Otis] was tattooed on my arm. She was the love of my life.

[on Sean Penn and his performance in Mi nombre es Harvey Milk (2008)] Thought he did an average pretend acting like he was gay. Besides, he's one of the most homophobic people I know.

You know the song "I Fought the Law and the Law Won"? Well, I fought the system and it kicked the living shit out of me!

[on his acting comeback with El luchador (2008)] I didn't think I'd come back to this level ever again. I hoped I would but I thought too much time had gone by.

I heard someone say Hollywood's a celebration of mediocrity, which rings pretty true to me.

[on making Spun (2002)] I couldn't stand making that movie. I hated every second of it.

[on fears he may miss out on an Oscar for El luchador (2008)] It's voted for by people from the movie business and in the past I've hacked them all off. I was good at that. It came easy to me. I stupidly said acting wasn't a job for a real man. I threatened producers, raged at directors, forgot my agent's name. I really burned my bridges. And a lot of people have long memories.

I'll never be mellow, OK? I'd rather be dead than mellow. You might as well take me out the back and shoot me in the back of the head before I'm going to be mellow.

Hollywood's a town built on envy.

[on his lean years] I called up a guy who used to hang with me and asked where I might get me some construction work. He brushed me off and said he didn't have time for my sh*t.

[on his early days in Hollywood] I was bouncing at a transvestite nightclub... and back then all the transvestites were on this sh*t called Angel Dust, so you'd hit them over the head with a baseball bat but they'd keep on coming.

[Receiving his Best Actor Bafta for El luchador (2008)] I want to thank my publicist, Paula Woods, for having the hardest job in showbiz: telling me ... what to eat, how to dress, what to f***.

Actors should shut up about politics, because they tend to be ill-informed finger-pointers who just cozy up to some flavor-of-the-month liberal, you know?

[on Wrestling] It was a sport I looked down on as fake and theatrical. My half brothers used to go and watch it all the time and think it was real, but I couldn't stand the f**king sport. I had a terrible disdain for it.

[how doing El luchador (2008) changed his attitude to wrestling] I have a lot of respect for a sport I was ignorant about. I take my hat off to those guys, I really do.

[on his training regime for El luchador (2008)] In six months I went from 195 pounds to 230. This was solid muscle. I hired a trainer from the Israeli army, and he was very strict. We trained twice a day with heavy weights, and my eating habits became super-high protein, low carbs, and, let's say, a lot of vitamins.

[on the death of his beloved 17-year-old dog Loki] Loki is deeply missed but with me in spirit. I feel very blessed that she fell asleep peacefully in my arms.

[on his wild 80s partying] My mansion in Beverly Hills was like something from Halloween III: El día de la bruja (1982) - Elvis on acid. The neighbors were moving in and out almost monthly.

[on his decision to do El luchador (2008)] When I read the story and then met Darren Aronofsky I knew he was going to make me go to some dark places and it would be painful emotionally and physically. But I'm so glad I did it because it is the best work I've done in the best film of my career.

[on working with Anthony Hopkins in 37 horas desesperadas (1990)] I learned a lot watching Tony in action. I mean, here's a guy who's been one of the great actors for years and he's still got the enthusiasm of a kid. He keeps trying to sustain a higher and higher level. You can't tell from looking at him, but try moving him. The guy's strong, he's built like a fire hydrant.

[on hanging out with real-life gangster John Gotti] We were watching a soccer game one time during the World Cup, and Italy and Ireland were playing. I said, "John"-because he, you know, liked to gamble-I said, "I'll take Ireland." And Italy was favored up the ass, right? But Ireland ended up winning the f**king game. And before that I said to John, "What do you want to bet? Ten grand? Whatever? Whatever you want to do." He says, "No, no. I'm never going to take your money. Let's bet watches." Right? I'll tell you something. His friends came over three weeks later and brought me the most beautiful f**king watch I've ever seen. Autographed, "To Mick, All the best. JG."

I'm Irish and French.

[on Tiro mortal (2008)] I think that movie is the best work I've done for 15 years.

[on making Barfly: El borracho (1987)] The director [Barbet Schroeder] was kind of an a**hole, but the project was very interesting. 'Charles Bukowski' was on the set. I liked Charlie. Charlie was cool with me. I was never a Bukowski fanatic or anything. I did enjoy reading a few of his books, but, you know, it wasn't like he was Tennessee Williams to me.

[on losing the Best Actor Oscar to Sean Penn] It's bittersweet. I said to myself I'd rather have Loki [his pet dog who died] another two years than an Oscar and I told her that.

[on Marisa Tomei] She's a hell of a talent and was very brave for taking her clothes off all the time. I enjoyed looking at her!

[after losing the Best Actor Oscar to Sean Penn] I expect to be back at the Oscars in about two years time. I expect my script 'Wild Horses' to be picked up soon, I'll star in it, and then win the Oscar.

[on making El luchador (2008)] I got hurt more in the three months of wrestling than I did in 16 years of boxing.

[on making Fuego en el cuerpo (1981)] I remember doing the scenes with William Hurt, who was a pretty big movie star at the time. And I'm thinking: "Well, if that's a movie star, I'm not going to have no problem in this town." So, you know, the attitude. It was there from the start.

I remember looking at myself in the mirror and thinking: look at what happened to you. I had blown everything, you know? I lost my credibility, my marriage, my money, my soul. I said to myself, you've got to change. And I realized that the acting was the only thing I had left.

[on meeting wrestling legend Roddy Piper at a screening of El luchador (2008)] He went on to pay us like highest compliments that we could wish for. And actually he got a little emotional about it. And it was kind of like, it was hard holding this guy and hearing him and talking back to him and understanding where he's been-the journey that he's been on and all the others that were like him. Because when your time has come and gone and that's the only thing you know, you can't go and be a goddamn busboy somewhere. You just can't do it. And the options aren't a lot. And it's not very pretty.

[on his comeback with El luchador (2008)] The old me wasn't accountable or responsible for anything. There were no rules, and I didn't fear any consequences or repercussions of any kind. I don't want to go back to that dark place because this is my last chance, and I'm not going to get another.

[on his determination to make the most of his comeback] I'll never lose it all again. It was too much hard work to get it back and too lonely and too dark. I've worked too hard for it. It would be too hard to take.

[on his losing his brother Joe to cancer] The bravest person I ever met in my life was my brother. And I miss him terribly. I wonder where he is right now. I think about that a lot. I think about if I'm gonna see him again. I think about if he's with me ... I think of him every night. He suffered. He didn't want to go.

My mother gave me away to somebody else-who abused my brother and me for years. And if it goes on for years and years, you're better to take that person outside and put a bullet in the back of their head. Because you don't get over it. You don't get over the Halloween III: El día de la bruja (1982) that goes on for a decade-plus.

[on the last moments of his brother Joe's life] I was shaking. I went back in the bedroom and I put my arms around him and said, "Hey, bro. I know how painful it is." I told him how much I loved him and everything. And I said, "If you gotta go somewhere right now," I said, "you go ahead and go there and I'll meet you there later on sometime." I said, 'But if you gotta go now, that's okay, 'cause I'll be okay, you understand?" And he took these weird kind of breaths and died in my arms.

As long as I can work with people I'm excited about working with, it will be okay. I just can't work for the paycheck.

[on the Israeli trainer he worked with for El luchador (2008)] He was this Jewish kinda dude who couldn't work on Fridays. And I couldn't wait for that day to come along.

I wasn't in the [19]90s, I was sitting on the bench.

I read a lot of biographies from Montgomery Clift to Errol Flynn. And it's the same thing, where you take people who are tremendously famous, and over time the power or money doesn't fill the gaps, and the emptiness that comes along with the ride.

My grandmother always said: "God has a plan for all of us." I should have went along with his, not mine, my plan sucked!

[on his Oscar nomination for El luchador (2008)] In the end, the Oscar should be about the acting. But there is a lot of grey, a lot of politics involved and a lot of interests. I did all I could do. Whatever happens, happens. I want to keep moving forward. There are always things that happen as the years go by, but I can't complain. I'm still standing.

[on training for El luchador (2008)] It was physically brutal. I had to do seven and a half months of extensive weightlifting, and eating six or seven meals a day, to put on 27 pounds of muscle.

Hollywood is a very unforgiving place.

[During his acceptance speech at the 2009 Film Independent Spirit Awards] Eric Robertsis probably the best actor I ever worked with, and I don't know why in the last 15 years, ain't nobody give him a chance to show his s*** again, because whatever he did 15, 20 years ago should be forgiven, and I'm g**d*** serious about that. Eric Roberts is the f***in' man. And, like I got, he deserves a second chance. And I wish there would be one g**d*** filmmaker in this room that would let him fly because the man, he is something else.

[on losing the Best Actor Oscar to Sean Penn] I didn't think I was gonna win, because of Proposition 8 and the whole gay marriage thing that was going on in California. But it wasn't just that. Sean did a hell of a job with his character.

[on Hollywood reaction to El luchador (2008)] I got the most touching letters and communiques from everywhere. From Emma Thompson, who I've never met, to Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, and Jon Voight. I got a letter from Kim Basinger, who I hadn't heard from in 20 years. I just thought, "Wow." I mean, for me, I don't think I could've had a better compliment than a few words from Al Pacino.

[on Sylvester Stallone] Stallone, when I was flat broke and I could hardly pay for a bowl of spaghetti in a restaurant, gave me a couple of weeks on Get Carter (2000), and that paid my f***in' rent for eight months.

Monogamy? I can't wait. I don't practice it, because I haven't met the one I'd practice it with, but I believe in it absolutely. I'd join that club in a heartbeat.

I'm looking for an English wife. I'm looking for a house over here (in England). I need a boxing ring though and a full-sized gym. London's like my second home.

The first act of my life was crazy, but I've learned from it. If you've got the guts and the desire and the talent, the first time around is easy. The second time around, it's murder. How many guys make it round the second bend?

(1987 Playboy Interview) Success has changed me in one way, exposed me to a certain level of independence-a kind of selfishness that I'm ashamed of. I got ants in my pants. But the fact is, when I'm working with people I want to, on a project that I respect, I really do love acting. And that's all that matters. It's almost as good as catching somebody with a good left hook.

[on his Passion Play (2010) co-star Megan Fox] She is the best young actress I've ever worked with. I don't know if a lot of her films have showcased her acting ability more than, say, being action oriented, but she really stepped up to the plate with this one and was very consistent and professional, beyond her years. At 23, I couldn't do half of what she's doing.

People say, "You're so aggressive, you're so competitive." So what? What the f**k is wrong with that? I'll be less aggressive and competitive when they put me in the ground, OK?

[on Michael Cimino] Hollywood hung him by his heels and that little prick Robert Downey? He's gotten like a million chances. And you know, the rumors have taken their toll on him. He needs to humble himself like I've had to do. He needs to make a film less than 10 million and show them he can do that. I'd work for scale for him.

I met Warren Beatty one time and I thought ... "What a creepy puke ass." [1994 interview]

[on ex-wife Carré Otis] I waited 10 years for her to come back... I won't compromise. Carre was thunder and lightning. If I can't have thunder and lighting then I won't have anything. It'll be a one-night stand here and there, but I'm not going to compromise. I can't.

[on his first thoughts on El luchador (2008)] I didn't really care for the script, but I wanted to work with Darren (Aronofsky) and I kind of thought that whoever wrote the script hadn't spent as much time as I had around these kind of people and he wouldn't have spoken the way the dude was speaking in the screenplay. And so Darren let me rewrite all my part and he put the periods in and crossed the t's. So once we made that change I was OK with it.

[on his decision to retire from acting in 1991 and become a boxer] I had to go back to boxing because I was self-destructing. I had no respect for myself being an actor. So I went back to a profession which really humbled me.